Whiffletree.



No. 7l2,62l. Patented Nov. 4, I902.

c. w. THBELKELD.

WHIFFLETBEE.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1902.]

(No Model.)

Jav

(Zlver/lfflirelkelt, flwm/wboz llNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALVERT WOODFORD THRELKELD, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,621, dated November4, 1902.

Application filed February 28, 1902. Serial No. 96,143. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CALVERT WooDFoaD- THRELKELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and useful VVhiffletree, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to whiffletrees; and one of the mainobjects of the same is to provide a simple and efficient device forsecurely fastening a trace to the tree, so that it will not becomeaccidentally detached, thereby eliminating the objectionable unfasteningand dropping of the trace when going down grade or turning a corner,said fastening means being practically as inexpensive: as the hooks andclips now ordinarily em-} ployed.

In the drawings there is illustrated the pre ferred embodiment of theinvention; but the construction set forth is open to such slight changesand modifications as the scope of the 5 The body of the whitlfletree isdesignated by the reference-numeral 10 and is of substantially the usualconstruction and shape. On the rear side of its terminal is located awear block 1l,havin g atransversely-disposed notch 12 contiguous to itsouter end, said notch being arranged to receive the terminal ring 13 ofa trace. holding-spring 14, that extends over the notch and bearsagainst the portion of the' ring seated therein.

The spring 14 is preferably formed of. a single piece of looped wire thearms of which are spaced apart, the ends of said wire being seated inlongitudinally-disposed grooves 15, arranged in the exposed face of thewearblock contiguous to its inner end. A bolt 16, which is employed forsecuring the wearblock to the whiffletree-body, passes between the endsof the spring-wire and a washer l7, placed upon the bolt, bears againstsaid ends Fig. 2 is a side eleva This ring is held in place by a to holdthem in place, this washer being fastened by a nut, as 18, threadedonthe bolt. The free end of the spring is bent up to form a lip 19, andthe adjacent face of the wearblock is beveled, as shown at 20, therebyproviding an entrance-mouth which will facilitate the placing of thering 13 upon the whiffletree.

The whiftletree connection is secured in substantially the same manner,said connection being inthe form of a ring 13", which may be attached toa tongue, plow-beam, or doubletree, said ring engaging in a notch 12, inthis case formed directly in the whiffletreebody and being held in thenotch .by means of a spring 14, formed of looped wire, the terminals ofwhich are fitted in grooves 15* and held in place by a bolt 16*, thatpasses through the body.

Passing through the outer portion of the wear-block 11 just inside thetransverse notch 12 is another fastening-bolt 21, that alsopassesthrough the whiifietree-body, a nut 22 being threaded on said bolt andbearing against the block to hold it in place. The threaded end of thebolt 21 projects between the side arms of the holding-spring 14, forminga guide to prevent the lateral displacement of the spring, and upon theend of the bolt is secured a stopnut 23, which limits the movement ofthe spring away from the notch.

The manner of attaching the device will be perfectly apparent. The ringis placed upon the end of the whiffletree, and when forced upon the samewill 'pass between the spring and the wear-block until it seats itselfin the groove, whereupon the spring will force itinto said groove andhold it in place therein. As a result, the trace will be securelyfastened in place and will not become acciend the structure may be madein different sizes to meet the various requirements.

From the foregoing it is thought that th construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Forinstance, the spring 14 instead of being made of wire may be formed outof spring-plate metal of the same general shape illustrated. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a whiftletree, the combination with a wear-block having a notch,ofaholding-spring mounted upon the wear-block and normally covering thenotch, said spring being movable away from the notch, and a stop carriedby the wear-block and spaced from the notch to limit the movement of theholding-spring away from the same.

2. In a Whiffletree, the combination with a wear-block havinga notch,ofa holding-spring mounted upon the wear-block and normally coveringthenotch, said spring being movable away from the notch, and means forsecuring the block to a whiffletree, said means carrying a stop to limitthe movement of the spring.

3. The combination with a Whiffletree, of a wear-plate secured to thewhiftletree and having a pair of longitudinally-disposed grooves orseats, a spring formed of a looped wire, the terminals of which arelocated in said grooves or seats, and a bolt passing between andengaging the terminals to hold them in said seats.

viaeei- 4. In a whiffletree, the combination with a wear-block, of aholding-spring located upon the Wear'block and comprising a looped wirethe arms of which are spaced apart, a bolt for securing the block to thewhiffletree, said bolt engaging the terminals of the wire to secure themto the block, and another bolt passing through the block and between thearms of the spring, said bolt carrying a stop to limit the movement ofthe spring.

5. The combination with a whifiletree having a notch in one face, of aring engaging in the notch, and a spring secured at one end to the sideof the whiffletree having the notch and extending longitudinally alongthe same, said spring having its free end spaced from the whiffletreeand bearing against the outer portion of the ring to hold said ring inthe notch.

6. The combination with a whiffietree having a notch and spaced grooveslocated at one side of the notch, of a spring extending longitudinallyalong one side of the whiftletree and over the notch, said springcomprising a looped wire, the terminals of which are spaced apart andlocated in the grooves, and fastening means engaging said terminals.

7. The combination with a Whiffietree having a notch, of aholding-spring mounted upon the whiftletree and normally covering thenotch, said spring being movable away from the notch to permit theadmission thereto of a trace ring or loop, and a stop carried by thewhiftletree to limit the movement of the holding-spring away from thesame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CALVERT WOODFORD THRELKELD.

Witnesses:

L. Y. I\IASON, C. L. BAKER.

